Everywhere and nowhere: Work-based learning in healthcare education

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Workforce Development
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• Global healthcare professions shortages necessitate effective practice learning strategies.
• UK healthcare funding changes in 2015 exacerbated workforce shortages, particularly in nursing.
• Initiatives aim to bridge the gap between registered nurses and support workers, enhancing clinical learning environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore opportunities and success factors for work-based learning in healthcare.
• To identify challenges faced by learners and supervisors in recognizing workplace learning opportunities.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with nine healthcare professionals (seven nurses, two allied health professionals).
• Interviews conducted between March and June 2018, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.

Main Results:

• Respondents identified specific opportunities for work-based learning and critical success factors.
• An effective learning culture, commitment to work-based learning, and allocated time were highlighted as crucial.
• Challenges exist for both learners and supervisors in identifying and leveraging workplace learning opportunities.

Conclusions:

• Findings underscore the importance of fostering a conducive learning culture to maximize work-based learning in healthcare.
• Addressing identified challenges is essential for optimizing clinical settings as effective learning environments.
• Further research is recommended on supervisor-learner relationships and the dynamics of high-activity learning environments.